IndiGo and Japan Airlines announced a codeshare deal earlier this year and will officially begin the partnership in December. Both airlines will benefit from this partnership, particularly Japan Airlines, which will have access to many routes served by IndiGo from Delhi and Bengaluru.
Japan Airlines and IndiGo to begin codeshare
From December 16, Japan Airlines
and India’s largest airline, IndiGo, will begin their codeshare partnership, utilizing each other’s extensive networks. While IndiGo does not have any flights to Japan, it will be able to sell tickets to several routes operated by Japan Airlines, which operates daily services between Tokyo (Haneda) and Delhi, and five times weekly services between Tokyo (Narita) and Bengaluru.
Photo: WeChitra | Shutterstock
In return, Japan Airlines will be able to offer its customers a lot more routes within India because of IndiGo’s extensive domestic connections out of Delhi and Bengaluru, two of the country’s biggest metro cities. Reservations and ticket sales will be available from December 4. Abhijit DasGupta, Senior Vice President Network Planning & Revenue Management, IndiGo, commented,
“…This codeshare agreement will further strengthen business, trade and tourism related travel between India and Japan. It will also enable passengers of both airlines to explore some of the most culturally rich destinations in India and Japan, known for their history, culinary experiences, nightlife and significant landmarks. At a time when both the countries are strategically working together, this codeshare will add to the strengthening bilateral ties between India and Japan…”
Ross Leggett, Managing Executive Officer, Senior Vice President Route Marketing, Japan Airlines, said,
“…This partnership will enable travelers between India and Japan to book their flights on a single ticket, enjoying the exceptional services of both IndiGo and Japan Airlines. India has seen remarkable economic growth in recent years, which is leading to a significant increase in air travel demand between Japan and India…”
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Which routes will be covered?
Japan Airlines’ customers flying into India will get access to 18 destinations in the country, thanks to the wide network of IndiGo. The airline commands over 60% of the market share in India, and Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport is its primary hub, while Bengaluru is another important hub in the country.
Out of Delhi, Japan Airlines’ passengers can book IndiGo’s flight on a single ticket to Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata, Coimbatore, Kochi, Goa, Hyderabad, Leh, Lucknow, Chennai, Pune, Thiruvananthapuram, and Varanasi.
Photo: IndiGo
From Bengaluru, the destinations include Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Mumbai, Kolkata, Coimbatore, Kochi, Goa, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Chennai, Pune, Thiruvananthapuram, Trichy, and Varanasi.
IndiGo’s airline partnerships
IndiGo has expanded its codeshare partnerships with airlines over the last few years. One of its most extensive deals is with 
Turkish Airlines
, which covers several popular European and United States destinations.
British Airways, too, has a partnership with the Indian low-cost carrier and
recently expanded it to 18 destinations across the country
, including Goa and Ahmedabad. BA operates non-stop flights to five Indian destinations: Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai.
Photo: BoeingMan777 l Shutterstock
Australia’s Qantas also enjoys a codeshare deal with IndiGo and recently
expanded the agreement through Singapore to IndiGo’s services to Delhi and Mumbai
.
Earlier this year, IndiGo also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a codeshare partnership with Malaysia Airlines.